Cloud-based, geospatially-enabled data recording, notification, and rendering system and method

ABSTRACT

A cloud-based, geospatially-enabled data recording, notification, and rendering system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisionalapplication No. 63/056,871, filed 27 Jul. 2020, the contents of whichare herein incorporated by reference. This application claims thebenefit of priority of U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No.16/949,875, filed 18 Nov. 2020, as a continuation in part, the contentsof which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of emergency applications,and, more particularly, a cloud-based, geospatially-enabled datarecording, notification, and rendering system.

Presently, people (and machines) that are in duress and/or experiencinga health and/or a security-related crisis (“emergency situations”) donot have a manual or automated, personalized, cloud-based,geospatially-enabled, video, audio and/or data recording and renderingsystem to automatically inform supportive entities or machines.

Current devices or systems in the field of this invention only providedisparate, uncoordinated pieces of situational awareness, and noneprovide integrated geospatial data and rendering (map, etc.) of therecorded/streamed data. Other devices also require the user(s) tomanually program and/or reconfigure their own devices in an attempt toperform the function of the present invention, and none suitably do so;thereby, further confounding the users, especially those who are nottechnically savvy. Finally, no other systems provide the automatednotification of recorded events to supportive entities/machines alongwith renderings based on recorded data, wherein the automatednotification may include an alert and inform law enforcement (and othersecurity-related, supportive entities) of the nature, location, andongoing proceedings (via the recorded data, including live stream andother data) of the identified emergency situations.

Presently, there are systems for recording and rendering (streaming)video via social media platforms, but none are geospatially-enabled andprovide the location of these stressful events (especially in relationto the viewer). Moreover, these social media streaming services do notautomatically notify supportive individuals or machines when aparticular individual (such as their loved one/companions) are in duressand/or experiencing a health and/or security-related crisis. Smartphonesrecord video/audio/data, but most require extensive memory storage onthe device to accommodate these types of large file sizes. If saidsmartphone is lost or destroyed, this recorded data is lost ordestroyed, too, in most cases. Social media sites do not allow users todiscriminately notify loved ones of the creation, presence, andavailability of these files for retrieval or downloading. Social mediasites also do not allow loved ones/companions to retrieve and/ordownload these files. The present invention solves all of theseproblems.

Social-media and/or device-based systems do not work well because theyare not integrated and streamlined for ease of use, they do not provideautomated notification of stressful events, and they are notgeospatially-enabled to tell *where* these events are happening inreal-time (or after the fact).

As can be seen, there is a need for a cloud-based, geospatially-enableddata recording, notification, and rendering system.

The present invention combines, streamlines, and integrates multipledisparate technologies into an easy-to-use, single system for datarecording/streaming, storage, provisioning, and geospatial rendering. Noother current system or technology combines and performs thesefunctions, which when combined into one system, provides compoundedeffectivity, efficiency and geospatial awareness for the user(s), bothhuman and machine.

The present invention integrates these various elements, provided inwhole or part by either the user's recording device and/or social mediaplatforms and/or other sources of data input. The present invention alsoprovides a geolocation (map coordinates and rendering display) of saidevents. Finally, this invention automates the notification process ofthese events to the supportive people/machines and allows them toretrieve, analyze, download and/or share said recording and associateddata.

As stated above, presently, people (and machines) that experiencestressful personal and environmental events do not have a manual orautomated, personalized, cloud-based, geospatially-enabled, video, audioand/or data recording and rendering system to automatically informsupportive entities or machines when they are in duress and/orexperiencing a health and/or in a security-related crisis. The presentinvention claimed herein solves this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention a method for presenting a mapdisplay of an emergency zone during an emergency situation, the methodincludes the following: in response to an emergency situation beingidentified, receiving at one or more processors in a first networkedcommunication device, map data for an emergency zone defined by a secondnetworked communication device; presenting by the one or moreprocessors, a display map of the emergency zone, based on the map data;receiving at the one or more processors an indication of the secondnetworked communication device relative to the first networkedcommunication device; and presenting by the one or more processors, theindication of the second networked communication device on a portion ofthe display map corresponding to the emergency zone, the indicationidentifying locations of the first and second networked communicationdevices, whereby the received map data is associated with a notificationto the first networked communication device.

It should be understood that the notification to the first networkedcommunication device may be triggered through a toggle button that theemergency response application provides/represents on the user interfaceof the operatively associated second networked communication device. Thenotification may come in an additional form of a text message, email, oranother electronic communication.

In another aspect of the present invention, the method further includeswherein the first networked communication device is associated with asupportive entity of the second networked communication device;receiving, at the one or more processors, an indication of a nature ofthe emergency situation; and presenting the indication of a nature ofthe emergency situation on the portion of the display map correspondingto the emergency zone, wherein the indication of the nature of theemergency situation was received via a light-sensing apparatus, whereinthe indication of the nature of the emergency situation is an objectidentified by comparing captured images of the light-sensing apparatuswith a plurality of templates stored on a cloud-based repository,wherein the emergency situation is identified via biometric data sensedfrom the second networked communication device, wherein presenting theindication of the second networked communication device includespresenting at a position within the map display corresponding toidentification information for the second networked communicationdevice, wherein the identification information is received in part vialive streaming associated with the second networked communicationdevice, and wherein the identification information is received in partvia an identity-based navigation system associated with the secondnetworked communication device; and further including a recording systemseparate from the first and second networked communication devices.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, illustrating a display map 720 representing the indicator 740of a primary networked communication device 100, as well as alive-stream video 730 generated by the primary networked communicationdevice 100, both of which may be embodied in a notification to anothernetworked communication device if an emergency situation is identifiedfor the primary networked communication device 100.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a cloud-based,geospatially-enabled data recording, notification, and rendering system.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 3, the present invention may includethe following:

1. Networked Communication Devices.

2. Recording System.

3. Light-sensing Apparatus.

4. Biometric Sensing Apparatus.

5. Identity-Based Navigation System.

6. Online and Networked Data Repository/Storage.

7. Rendering System.

8. Notification System.

9. Provision System.

1. Networked Communication Device

In various implementations, the networked communication devices 100 maybe smart phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, desktop computers,smart glasses, smart watches, lanyards, or bracelets, wearable computingdevices, vehicle head units, or any suitable portable or non-portablecomputing device. Each networked communication devices 100 may include amemory, one or more processors (CPUs), a graphics processing unit (GPU),an I/O module including a microphone and speakers, a user interface(UI), and one or several sensors 19 including a Global PositioningService (GPS) module. The memory can be a non-transitory memory and caninclude one or several suitable memory modules, such as random accessmemory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, other types ofpersistent memory, etc. The I/O module may be a touch screen, forexample. In various implementations, each networked communicationdevices 100 can include fewer components or conversely, additionalcomponents.

The memory stores an operating system (OS), which can be any type ofsuitable mobile or general-purpose operating system. The memory may alsostore client applications, such as an emergency situation application110, which may be configured to provide alerts to a supportive entitywhen the user is in an emergency situation or immediately thereafter,wherein the supportive entity may be an emergency responder, lawenforcement or other security or safety personnel. The emergencyresponse application 110 may also generate digital maps of the immediatesurrounds, environment, and/or premises. The digital map may include anindication of an emergency zone depicting an area within a thresholdrange of the center of the emergency situation. The digital map may alsoinclude indications of the number of individuals or machine in theemergency zone.

While the networked communication device 100 depicted in FIG. 1 includesa single emergency situation application 110 for interacting with asecurity system, the networked communication devices 100 may includeseveral client applications. In some embodiments, the emergencysituation application 110 provides alerts, live video feeds, map data,and other information to police officers, fire fighters, paramedics,etc. In other embodiments, the emergency situation application 110obtains login information from the user and provides specific,personalized alerts, map data, and other information according to theuser's nature as an individual, machine, supportive entity.

Just as the emergency situation application 110 may reside in the memoryof a plurality of networked communication devices, so to the emergencysituation application 110 may reside on a server computing device 150,separate and apart from any networked communication devices 100. Theserver computing device 150 may or may not reside in the network 200.The server computing device 150 may provide the map display and alertsto the networked communication devices 100, as described below.

A plurality of networked communication devices 100 may be associatedwith each other via the emergency situation application 110 (initiallyby way of a login/registration process for example). Thus, a primaryuser of the emergency situation application 110 may group a pluralityusers of the emergency situation application 110 into a “supportiveentity” group, so that when an emergency situation is identified for theprimary user, the users defined by the “supportive entity” group willreceive the notification, display map, recorded date (e.g., livestreaming video) via the system disclosed herein.

In short, the supportive entity or group thereof become witnesses of theprimary networked communication device 100 self-identifying emergencysituations, wherein these witness receive a display map of said theprimary networked communication device 100 (relative to each witnessnetworked communication device 100) along with additional identificationinformation, such as video being live-streamed from the primarynetworked communication device 100.

2. Recording System.

The recording system 222 may provide audio, video, biometric, and/ormachine-performance recording equipment including, but not limited to,handheld systems and those integrated from other systems such asvehicles, homes, businesses, other individuals/machines/devices, etc.

In various embodiments, a hardware module may be implementedmechanically or electronically. For example, a hardware module maycomprise dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanently configured(e.g., as a special-purpose processor, such as a field programmable gatearray (FPGA) or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) toperform certain operations. A hardware module may also compriseprogrammable logic or circuitry (e.g., as encompassed within ageneral-purpose processor or other programmable processor) that istemporarily configured by software to perform certain operations. Itwill be appreciated that the decision to implement a hardware modulemechanically, in dedicated and permanently configured circuitry, or intemporarily configured circuitry (e.g., configured by software) may bedriven by cost and time considerations.

Accordingly, the term “hardware module” should be understood toencompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that is physicallyconstructed, permanently configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarilyconfigured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a certain manner or toperform certain operations described herein. Considering embodiments inwhich hard-ware modules are temporarily configured (e.g., programmed),each of the hardware modules need not be configured or instantiated atany one instance in time. For example, where the hardware modulescomprise a general-purpose processor configured using software, thegeneral-purpose processor may be configured as respective differenthardware modules at different times. Software may accordingly configurea processor, for example, to constitute a particular hardware module atone instance of time and to constitute a different hardware module at adifferent instance of time. Hardware modules can provide information to,and receive information from, other hardware modules. Accordingly, thedescribed hardware modules may be regarded as being communicativelycoupled. Where multiple of such hardware modules existcontemporaneously, communications may be achieved through signaltransmission (e.g., over appropriate circuits and buses) that connectthe hardware modules. In embodiments in which multiple hardware modulesare configured or instantiated at different times, communicationsbetween such hardware modules may be achieved, for example, through thestorage and retrieval of information in memory structures to which themultiple hardware modules have access. For example, one hardware modulemay perform an operation and store the output of that operation in amemory device to which it is communicatively coupled. A further hardwaremodule may then, at a later time, access the memory device to retrieveand process the stored output. Hardware modules may also initiatecommunications with input or output devices, and can operate on aresource (e.g., a collection of information).

The various operations of example methods described herein may beperformed, at least partially, by one or more processors that aretemporarily configured (e.g., by software) or permanently configured toperform the relevant operations. Whether temporarily or permanentlyconfigured, such processors may constitute processor-implemented modulesthat operate to perform one or more operations or functions. The modulesreferred to herein may, in some example embodiments, compriseprocessor-implemented modules.

One of the main components of the recording system is to record in aremote storage/repository live streaming video from a networkedcommunication device that has been determined to be in an emergencysituation.

3. Light-Sensing Apparatus.

The light-sensing apparatus 300 may be a high-definition camera (e.g., a1080p camera, an 8-megapixel camera, etc.) and is configured to detectvisible light images and video within a detection area of the presentinvention. The light-sensing apparatus 300 may reside on the networkedcommunication devices 100 and/or be operatively associated with theabove-mentioned hardware module.

In some embodiments, the light-sensing apparatus 300 may include severalimaging cameras, such as a dual camera, which may be used to detectdepth information. In any event, images may be detected continuously orperiodically (e.g., 10 frames per second, 60 frames per second, 120frames per second, etc.) and then provided, along with the other sensedimaging camera data, to the server computing device 150 for furtherprocessing as described in more detail herein.

The light-sensing apparatus 300 may provide video capturingfunctionality including but not limited to live streaming,

4. Biometric Sensing Apparatus.

The biometric sensing apparatus 400 may include sensors configured todetect and/or determine heartrate, breathing rate, blood pressure,perspiration, blood-oxygen level, neural processing metrics, memorycapacity, animal and machine operating functions.

The biometric sensing apparatus 400 may reside on the networkedcommunication devices 100 and/or be operatively associated with theabove-mentioned hardware module. The data sensed/collected by thebiometric sensing apparatus 400 may then be provided to the servercomputing device 150 for further processing as described in more detailherein.

The biometric sensing apparatus 400 may also include sensing“non-biological” data for machine users of the present invention. Forinstance, instead of an acceptable range of heart rates, such anapparatus 400 would be gauging an acceptable range of, say, enginetemperature or some other measurable value that could indicate if amachine user is facing an emergency situation.

5. Identity-Based Navigation System.

Identity-Based Navigation inputs, outputs, factors and elements mayinclude the following systemic components (that may or may not beembodied in or reside in a networked communication device 100, asindicated by the reference number of FIG. 2):

A. Navigation Routing Component 10

The Navigation Routing Component may be configured to determine aplurality of travel routes between a departure point A and one or moredestination points B^(n) based on extrinsic conditions. Extrinsicconditions may include timing constraints, distance, speed, obstaclesand other characteristics of the route and/or a mode of transportationand/or environment itself, including as but not limited to traffic flow,network-user-supplied traffic volume, weather and road conditions. Thus,based on the information concerning such extrinsic conditions receivedfrom, say, a server via the Internet, the navigation routing componentis configured to determine the most time-efficient routes anddistance-efficient routes, e.g., one that requires the least traveltime, to accomplish the trip's purpose despite any extrinsic conditions,as well as a plurality of travel routes that interconnect the departurepoint A and the one or more destination points B^(n).

B. Characteristics and Attributes Interface Component 20

The Characteristics and Attributes Interface prompts and receives inputfrom users regarding intrinsic characteristics—i.e., attributesintrinsic to a user/traveling entity. These intrinsic characteristics ofthe traveling entity may include but are not limited to physical,social, cultural, racial, sexual, emotional, electrical, religious,class, dietary restrictions/preferences, income bracket, net worth,and/or any other characteristic that distinguishes one travel entityfrom another.

When a user initially utilizes the present invention for travel planningin accordance with the invention, a systemic server is configured togenerate the Characteristics and Attributes Interface, typically througha user's computing device, wherein the user/travel entity is promptedfor entering his/her personal data, e.g., his/her name, age, sex,marital status, occupation, city, education, religion and number ofchildren, which are stored as intrinsic characteristics.

In certain embodiments, the user may be prompted to select preferencesfrom different categories to be included in the personal data/intrinsiccharacteristics, including but not limited to music, entertainment,shopping, recreation categories. Input may be through any form ofelectronic input, including but not limited to a computer's userinterface by way of any suitable peripheral input/output device.

C. External Data Sources Component 30

The present invention may include other external data sources, such asbut not limited to social-media and other data sources about theuser/traveling entity, about a local environment of each of thedestinations, and about events associated with the environment of thedestinations within the timing constraints.

The external data sources may include media sources, such as socialnetwork services, online communities, and online news sources.Information received from the external data sources may includeinformation associated with social networks, blogs, and websites havinga registered profile of the traveling entity, among other information.Information from the external data sources may be accessed and parsedthrough a data mining engine via the systemic network 200.

D. Traveler Environment Data Component 40

Traveler environment data may include information about the travelingentity's environment that affect the intrinsic characteristics andattributes, such as (but not limited to) physical, cultural, sexual,emotional, electrical, religious, class, dietaryrestrictions/preferences, income bracket, net worth, and/or any othercharacteristic that distinguishes one entity from another.

E. Preferential Data Component 50

Preferential data and other information about the traveling entity'senvironment that provides products, services, experiences, and the like,that are of interest or preference or benefit to the traveling entity,in full consideration of the intrinsic characteristics and attributes ofthe traveling entity may be determined (or “predetermined”) by apreferential data component.

The predetermined preferential data may be utilized to adjust weightingsof the routes and travel itineraries generated by the Navigation RoutingComponent. For instance, when a user/traveling entity plans to go from adeparture point A to a destination point B, the Navigation RoutingComponent may compute travel itineraries or routes R1 and R2 accordingto the extrinsic conditions, intrinsic characteristics, external datasources and traveler environment data, then the present invention mayreweight (possibly by way of an analyzer module discussed more below)each route after integrating the predetermined preferential data, whichis a function of the extrinsic conditions, intrinsic characteristics,external data sources and traveler environment data. Through thisiterative modality, the present invention is configured to optimize theroute navigation process by integrating traveling-entity specific datainputted and subsequently determined.

The predetermined preferential data is stored in the systemic memory insuch a way that when the Navigation Routing Component determines one ormore predetermined preferential data is associated with, say, route R2,the Navigation Routing Component and/or analyzer module may adjust theweighting of route R2 so that route R2 can be automatically selected bythe Navigation Routing Component for navigating the user from thedeparting point A to the destination B, so that the user/travelingentity passes or intersects the predetermined preferential data whiletraveling along route R2. Likewise, the Navigation Routing Component mayadjust weightings of travel itineraries/routes in which the preferentialdata is located with different magnitudes.

F. Analyzer Module Component 60

The analyzer module is configured to combine, analyze, contextualize andconvey Components 1-5 to the user/traveling entity via a deliveryplatform carried upon themselves and/or integrated into their mode oftransportation and/or integrated into their device of preference (suchas a networked and integrated home, business computing device, and/orthat of another user/traveling entity).

The present invention being a method and system for routepersonalization is configured to integrate contextual data and extrinsicconditions embodied in Components 1-5 into route and/or travel itinerarydeterminations. The method and system are configured to provide weightedrecommendations regarding a travel route or itinerary to a user based onthese user-provided extrinsic conditions and contextualized data(intrinsic characteristics, external data, travel environment data, andpreferential data).

In certain embodiments, the user may request a map of a route for travelfrom a departure point A to one or more destination points B^(n), forexample, on a user device. The user device may be any computing device,as described herein. The user may launch the Navigation RoutingComponent configured to generate one or more possible routes R1-Rn,between A and B^(n). The user may also launch the Characteristics andAttributes Interface configured to prompt and receive user-inputtedintrinsic data. The analyzer module may be configured to obtain theexternal data sources and travel environment data to generate weightedrecommendations for each route generated by the Navigation RoutingComponent. (In certain embodiments, the user may be asked to provide theexternal data sources and traveler environment data.)

Preferential data may then be determined by the preferential datacomponent or analyzer module based on the intrinsic characteristics,external data sources and traveler environment data (‘traveling entitydata’) for the possible routes generated by the Navigation RoutingComponent. The resulting predetermined preferential data may then beanalyzed by the analyzer module and integrated into the NavigationRouting Component based on the intersection/association of thepredetermined preferential data for each possible route. Therebyreweighted route recommendations may then be generated for each possibleroute based on the acquired traveling entity data and predeterminedpreferential data. The routes and weighted recommendations may then bedisplayed to the user via the user device. The user may then select apersonalized route based on the weighted recommendations, as well asprovide feedback regarding each listed weighted recommendation by way ofa feedback component.

G. Feedback Component 70

The feedback data from the above-mentioned feedback component for eachroute recommendation displayed via Component 6, may be reintroduced to acollective, systemic network 200 of users/travel entities, therebyenriching and adding value to the travel experiences as the feedbackdata embodies positive/negative experiences of each user/travel entityfor a potential route or a similar route or environment. Sharing theadded and shared perspective of the intrinsic characteristics andattributes of the traveling entities adds another layer of iterativeoptimization.

The present invention produces an optimized travel solution for eachperson, entity, animal, machine, and/or object traversing a local routeor environment, or a similar route or environment in a differentlocation, or a completely unknown route, given the added and sharedperspective of the local, current, previous or even distant traveler,based on their intrinsic characteristics and attributes, such as, butnot limited to, physical, social, cultural, racial, sexual, emotional,electrical, religious, class, dietary restrictions/preferences, incomebracket, net worth, and/or any other characteristic that distinguishesone travel entity from another.

The logic of the present invention may include the follow: (Sum ofComponents 1-5=Component 6)+User Response/Feedback=Component 7, whichfurther refines/enriches Components 3-5, which are reinserted into theSum of Components 1-5, thereby serving as a continuously-refinedfeedback loop.

A user of the present invention can input their personal attributes andcharacteristics such as (but not limited to) physical, social, cultural,racial, sexual, emotional, electrical, religious, class, dietaryrestrictions/preferences, income bracket, net worth, and/or any othercharacteristic that distinguishes one travel entity from another. Thepresent invention then utilizes the combination of the above-listedcomponents to assist the user/traveler by providing idealized travelroute and/or services enroute to their destination point(s), thusincreasing their user/traveler experience and adding value to theirlives or existence (in the case of an entity or object).

Additionally, the present invention can also be used to understand andpredict the travel, migratory, spending, and socio-economic patterns ofpeople, entities, animals, machines, and/or objects, to the extent thatsupportive services (such as healthcare) can be offered and renderedwhen needed, even without the direct request of the party in need. Forexample, if someone who cannot swim travels into a rapidly floodingarea, the present invention will recognize the confluence of a dangeroussetting (via local weather information) and a person who lacks theability to safely navigate that environment (based on theirhighly-refined user profile/intrinsic characteristics, as generated bythe above-listed components of the present invention). The presentinvention will then possess the awareness and intelligence (artificialor otherwise) to alert emergency services of this endangeredindividual's whereabouts and probability of peril, with the pre-consentof the individual, to avail these emergency services of the potentiallyrequired life-saving services (especially if they become incapacitated).

The data sensed/collected by the Identity-Based Navigation system maythen be provided to the server computing device 150 for furtherprocessing as described in more detail herein.

6. Online and Networked Data Repository/Storage.

The online and networked data repository/storage 600 may include cloudservice providers, which may be embodied, for example, as a system andcomputing environment that provides services to users of the cloudservice provider through the sharing of computing resources via a datacommunications link. The cloud services provider may provide on-demandaccess to a shared pool of configurable computing resources such ascomputer networks, servers, storage, applications and services, and soon. Although in many cases such a cloud services provider may beaccessible via the Internet, readers of skill in the art will recognizethat any system that abstracts the use of shared resources to provideservices to a user through any data communications link may beconsidered a cloud services provider.

7. Rendering System.

The rendering system may embody a map generator 700 may generate a 2D or3D digital map of the surrounding environment of a user and anindication of an emergency zone determined based on the location of theemergency situation. The map generator 700 may also generate indicationsof the number and precise physical locations of individuals, machines,and supportive entities in the emergency location. The building mapgenerator 700 may also provide the digital map/map display 720 to thenetworked communication devices 100 for presentation, via a map display710. System may embody a (map, etc.) of location of emergencysituations.

The map generator 700 may utilize known computerized mappingsystems—including but not limited to raster-base or vector-basedsystems—to produce a display map 720. For instance, where a computerextracts the corresponding vector-based map data from a database, anddraws a bitmap image of the map, and wherein the computer then convertsthe bitmap to an image format supported by the user's Web browser andreturns the image, sometimes embedded in HTML, to the user's Web browserso that it can be displayed.

The map display 710 may be configured to represent or display anindication of one or more network communication devices in the form of adot, icon, or the like, on the display map 720.

8. Notification System.

The notification system 800 may be configured to provide alerts tosupportive entities and/or machines, include law-enforcement and othersecurity-related personnel regarding the user in the emergencysituation.

A determination of the emergency situation may happen through theprocessing of the above-mentioned functionality, wherein the servercomputing device 150 may compare, for instance via images capturing bythe light-sensing apparatus 300, including features identified for as anobject to features from template objects (also referred to herein as“template features”) using image classification and/or machine learningtechniques, where at least some of the template objects represent aperson. The machine learning techniques may include linear regression,polynomial regression, logistic regression, random forests, boosting,nearest neighbors, Bayesian networks, neural networks, support vectormachines, or any other suitable machine learning technique. For example,the widths and heights of people may be stored as template featuresalong with skin tones for people, the widths and heights of noses,mouths, eyes, and their respective positions relative to each other. Thetemplate objects may also include other representations which are not ofhumans, such as representations of computers, other electronic devices,heaters, etc.

In some embodiments, the template features may be compared to thefeatures for an object using a nearest neighbors algorithm. The nearestneighbors algorithm may identify template features which are the closestto the features of the object by creating numerical representations ofthe features to generate feature vectors, such as a pixel width andheight of a nose, pixel values for the nose, and pixel distances fromthe edges of the face to the top, bottom, and sides of the nose, forexample. The numerical representations of the features or featurevectors of the object may be compared to the feature vectors of templateobjects to determine a vector distance between the features of theobject and each template object. The server computing device 150 maythen determine whether the object is a human based on the amount ofsimilarity, or the vector distance in the nearest neighbors algorithm,between the features for the object and the features for templateobjects that represent a human. If the closest template objectsrepresent a human and image data is within the threshold body shaperange, the object is identified as a human. The server computing device150 may further analyze visible light images using image classificationand/or machine learning techniques to identify a weapon in the buildingpremises or a suspicious bag which may contain a weapon (e.g., a riflebag). Weapons may include firearms such as rifles, pistols, handguns,automatic weapons, etc., knives, or other dangerous objects. Weapons mayalso include other objects which are not designed as weapons but may beused in a dangerous manner to cause harm, such as baseball bats,hammers, etc. Weapons may be identified before a gunshot isfired/detected. For example, the server computing device 150 may obtaintemplate objects representing guns and other weapons and may identifyfeatures from these template objects. When the server computing device150 obtains an image detected by the light-sensing apparatus 300, theserver computing device 150 may identify features of the image using thetechniques described above, such as SIFT, SURF, FREAK, BRISK, or anyother suitable computer vision techniques. The features of the image maybe compared to the template features of template objects representingweapons. The server computing device may then determine whether theimage includes a weapon based on the amount of similarity, or the vectordistance in the nearest neighbors algorithm, between the features of theimage and the features for template objects that represent a weapon.Such an identification may comprise the “nature” of the emergencysituation. Furthermore, indications of these objects (people, weapons,or other objects) may be provided to the map generator 700 for renderingon a display map 720 represented through the map display 710.

The light-sensing apparatus 700 may also sense infrared light or include3D sensing systems, like passive or active LiDAR (Light Detection andRanging). In certain embodiments, the light-sensing apparatus 700 mayact as a actuator of the identification of the emergency situation(which in turn triggers the notifications and the exporting of the mapdata and the other identification information defined above). In oneembodiment, the light-sensing apparatus may be able to sense the lightsof an emergency personnel vehicle (e.g., squad car or ambulance). Inother embodiments, the light-sensing apparatus 700 may detect andidentify a badge of an emergency personnel (and store that informationin the remote (cloud based) storage repository 600 for future retrievalfor evidentiary purposes, for instance).

Likewise, the biometric sensing apparatus may detect biometric data(determine heartrate, breathing rate, blood pressure, perspiration,blood-oxygen level, neural processing metrics, memory capacity, animaland machine operating functions) and compare it to biometric signaturesof the user (who may be animal, human, machine) to determine if the useris experiencing an emergency situation). For instance, the thresholdrange of human blood pressure may be identified and compared to thebiometric data in real time by the server computing device 150. Throughsimilar analysis as disclosed above, an identification of the emergencysituation may be made through comparing the gathered/sensed biometricdata with the stored signature/template thresholds.

The alert includes specific information regarding the user, includingthe nature and location of the emergency situation, thereby offering ageospatially-enabled emergency application providing video, audio and/ordata recorded through the above-mentioned functionality. This alert andthe associated data provided may be, at the users' discretion perrecipient, stored off-device as aforementioned and discriminatelyreleased (enabled by and via the present invention) in a time-delayedfashion, allowing users (supported entities) to stage which recipientsreceive the notification and associated emergency event information intime, relative to the event and initial data recording/streaming.

Specifically, the notification system may also generate digital maps ofthe emergency zone that are presented via the map display 710. Thedigital map/display map 720 may include an indication of an emergencyzone depicting an area within a threshold range of the emergencysituation or within a threshold range of the center of the emergencysituation. The digital map may also include indications of the number ofindividuals, machines, and supportive entities in the emergency zoneswithin the display map 720.

The emergency response application 110 may provide/represent a panicbutton on the user interface of the networked communication device 100,wherein when the panic button is activated audio output is emitted,including but not limited to a high-frequency siren.

The emergency response application 110 may provide/represent a‘Text-to-911’ button on the user interface of the networkedcommunication device 100, wherein when the ‘Text-to-911’ button isactivated 911 personnel and/or communication hubs receive a textindicating the previously identified emergency situation along withvarious informative data and information about the emergency situation,such as geospatial data, temporal data, biometric, performance and othersimilar data which enable help or assistance to be rendered.Importantly, networked communication devices 100 defined as being in the“supportive entity” group of a primary networked communication device100 identified as experiencing an emergency situation can also activatethe ‘Text-to-911’ button on their devices 100. Therefore, each witness(e.g., each of the supportive entity networked communication device 100)that is viewing the primary networked communication device 100 havingthe emergency situation via the display map 720 as well as thelive-streaming video and/or other identification information may decideto activate the ‘Text-to-911’ button, even though there are notphysically present at the emergency situation.

The emergency response application 110 may provide/represent a DPS'button on the user interface of the networked communication device 100,wherein when the DPS' button is activated Department of Public Safety(DPS) personnel and/or communication hubs are notified of the previouslyidentified emergency situation via text, email and/or other electronicnotification methods, indicating the previously identified emergencysituation along with various informative data and information about theemergency situation, such as geospatial data, temporal data, biometric,performance and other similar data which enable help or assistance to berendered. Importantly, networked communication devices 100 defined asbeing in the “supportive entity” group of a primary networkedcommunication device 100 identified as experiencing an emergencysituation can also activate the DPS button on their devices 100.Therefore, each witness (e.g., each of the supportive entity networkedcommunication device 100) that is viewing the primary networkedcommunication device 100 having the emergency situation via the displaymap 720 as well as the live-streaming video and/or other identificationinformation may decide to activate the DPS' button, even though thereare not physically present at the emergency situation.

9. Provision System.

The provision system may include indication of individuals, machines,supportive entities and identification information. The identificationinformation may include indications of event data, location data,biometric data, and the like. The provision system may generateidentification information for the user for display at the positionwithin the map display corresponding to the location of the user and/ornetworked communication devices 100. The provision system may retrieveinformation from the biometric sensing apparatus 400 and informationfrom public databases, such as social networking databases, associatedwith the networked communication devices 100 as well as globalpositioning system information for each relevant networked communicationdevice 100. For instance, the provision system may access anaccelerometer of the relevant networked communication device 100,wherein the accelerometer is configured to generate acceleration dataindicative of acceleration of the relevant networked communicationdevice 100.

A computing device operatively associated with the Online and NetworkedData Repository/Storage may determine relevant networked communicationdevice 100 and present the identification information for the relevantnetworked communication device 100 on the map display screen. Forinstance, a dot on the map display may indicate, the precise location ofthe relevant networked communication device 100/its associated useralong with other individuals, machines, and/or supportive entities.Alongside the dot on the map display may be the identificationinformation represented, including event data pertaining to the natureand ongoing proceedings (for instance, as garnered from the social mediadatabases), as well as biometric data from the Biometric SensingApparatus.

In sum, component 1 uses data from components 2-5 to store various datain component 6, to produce component 7 and perform components 8-9. IFComponent 1+(Sum of Components 2-5)+Component 6; THEN Components 7-9.The components 1-6 can be shuffled, interchanged or reconfigured in anyorder to produce a similar or identical output to the second part ofthis invented process, method and system, which would produce a similaror identical output or function (Components 7-9, which can also beshuffled, interchanged or reconfigured in any order).

By following the above-listed steps and logic, the present inventionprovides the user(s) (human and machine) with a means to capturevideo/audio output and otherwise record events that cause them stress orduress. A determination of such emergency situations may be determinedthrough the biometric data. These recordings are stored in a remote datarepository, and the user(s), as well as those duly designated(supportive entities/machines), are automatically notified by thepresent invention of the creation of this recording. This invention thenallows the user(s), as well as those they designate, to access, view (innear real-time), analyze, retrieve, download and/or otherwise share thisfile as they will and agree. The present invention may also render adisplay of where this event occurs/occurred and provides additional dataabout said event.

A person or machine would use the present invention to solve theabove-stated problems by using their networked communication device,including but not limited to remote computing device, smart device, orother networked video and audio recording device(s) to record anystressful (or other) event they encounter. This accounts for Components1 and 2. Various sensory inputs (Components 3-5) are used to start,inform, and influence the data recording, which is then stored off theinitial recording device in a networked data repository (Component 6).The present invention then notifies (Component 8) supportiveindividuals/machines of the creation of said data recording,informs/shows them where the event happened (Component 7) and providesthem the ability to access, view (in near real-time), analyze, download,and otherwise share/use this recorded data as they will.

This invention can also produce location-based data about individualand/or machine-based biometric responses to various settings andexposures encountered.

There are manifold other applications/uses for this invention including,but not limited to, the production of graphs, analytics, maps and otherrenderings of human and/or machine responses to social, environmental,and/or other sources of stimulus.

In certain embodiments, the network may refer to any interconnectingsystem capable of transmitting audio, video, signals, data, messages, orany combination of the preceding. The network may include all or aportion of a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a public orprivate data network, a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan areanetwork (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a local, regional, or globalcommunication or computer network such as the Internet, a wireline orwireless network, an enterprise intranet, or any other suitablecommunication link, including combinations thereof.

The server and the computer of the present invention may each includecomputing systems. This disclosure contemplates any suitable number ofcomputing systems. This disclosure contemplates the computing systemtaking any suitable physical form. As example and not by way oflimitation, the computing system may be a virtual machine (VM), anembedded computing system, a system-on-chip (SOC), a single-boardcomputing system (SBC) (e.g., a computer-on-module (COM) orsystem-on-module (SOM)), a desktop computing system, a laptop ornotebook computing system, a smart phone, an interactive kiosk, amainframe, a mesh of computing systems, a server, an application server,or a combination of two or more of these. Where appropriate, thecomputing systems may include one or more computing systems; be unitaryor distributed; span multiple locations; span multiple machines; orreside in a cloud, which may include one or more cloud components in oneor more networks. Where appropriate, one or more computing systems mayperform without substantial spatial or temporal limitation one or moresteps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein. As anexample and not by way of limitation, one or more computing systems mayperform in real time or in batch mode one or more steps of one or moremethods described or illustrated herein. One or more computing systemsmay perform at different times or at different locations one or moresteps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein, whereappropriate.

In some embodiments, the computing systems may execute any suitableoperating system such as IBM's zSeries/Operating System (z/OS), MS-DOS,PC-DOS, MAC-OS, WINDOWS, UNIX, OpenVMS, an operating system based onLINUX, or any other appropriate operating system, including futureoperating systems. In some embodiments, the computing systems may be aweb server running web server applications such as Apache, Microsoft'sInternet Information Server™, and the like.

In particular embodiments, the computing systems includes a processor, amemory, a user interface and a communication interface. In particularembodiments, the processor includes hardware for executing instructions,such as those making up a computer program. The memory includes mainmemory for storing instructions such as computer program(s) for theprocessor to execute, or data for processor to operate on. The memorymay include mass storage for data and instructions such as the computerprogram. As an example and not by way of limitation, the memory mayinclude an HDD, a floppy disk drive, flash memory, an optical disc, amagneto-optical disc, magnetic tape, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive,a solid-state drive (SSD), or a combination of two or more of these. Thememory may include removable or non-removable (or fixed) media, whereappropriate. The memory may be internal or external to computing system,where appropriate. In particular embodiments, the memory isnon-volatile, solid-state memory.

The user interface includes hardware, software, or both providing one ormore interfaces for communication between a person and the computersystems. As an example and not by way of limitation, an user interfacedevice may include a keyboard, keypad, microphone, monitor, mouse,printer, scanner, speaker, still camera, stylus, tablet, touchscreen,trackball, video camera, another suitable user interface or acombination of two or more of these. A user interface may include one ormore sensors. This disclosure contemplates any suitable user interfaceand any suitable user interfaces for them.

The communication interface includes hardware, software, or bothproviding one or more interfaces for communication (e.g., packet-basedcommunication) between the computing systems over the network. As anexample and not by way of limitation, the communication interface mayinclude a network interface controller (NIC) or network adapter forcommunicating with an Ethernet or other wire-based network or a wirelessNIC (WNIC) or wireless adapter for communicating with a wirelessnetwork, such as a WI-FI network. This disclosure contemplates anysuitable network and any suitable communication interface. As an exampleand not by way of limitation, the computing systems may communicate withan ad hoc network, a personal area network (PAN), a local area network(LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), orone or more portions of the Internet or a combination of two or more ofthese. One or more portions of one or more of these networks may bewired or wireless. As an example, the computing systems may communicatewith a wireless PAN (WPAN) (e.g., a BLUETOOTH WPAN), a WI-FI network, aWI-MAX network, a cellular telephone network (e.g., a Global System forMobile Communications (GSM) network), or other suitable wireless networkor a combination of two or more of these. The computing systems mayinclude any suitable communication interface for any of these networks,where appropriate.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for presenting a map display of anemergency zone during an emergency situation, the method comprising: inresponse to an emergency situation being identified, receiving at one ormore processors in a first networked communication device, map data foran emergency zone defined by a second networked communication device;presenting by the one or more processors, a display map of the emergencyzone, based on the map data; receiving at the one or more processors anindication of the second networked communication device relative to thefirst networked communication device; and presenting by the one or moreprocessors, the indication of the second networked communication deviceon a portion of the display map corresponding to the emergency zone, theindication identifying locations of the first and second networkedcommunication devices, whereby the received map data is associated witha notification to the first networked communication device.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the first networked communication device isassociated with a supportive entity of the second networkedcommunication device.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:receiving, at the one or more processors, an indication of a nature ofthe emergency situation; and presenting the indication of a nature ofthe emergency situation on the portion of the display map correspondingto the emergency zone.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein theidentification information is received in part via live-streamingassociated with the second networked communication device.
 5. The methodof claim 4, wherein the indication of the nature of the emergencysituation is an object identified by comparing captured images of thelight-sensing apparatus with a plurality of templates stored on acloud-based repository.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the emergencysituation is identified via biometric data sensed from the secondnetworked communication device.
 7. The method of claim 6, whereinpresenting the indication of the second networked communication deviceincludes presenting at a position within the display map correspondingto identification information for the second networked communicationdevice.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the indication of the natureof the emergency situation was received via a light-sensing apparatus.9. The method of claim 8, wherein the identification information isreceived in part via an identity-based navigation system associated withthe second networked communication device.
 10. The method of claim 9,further comprising a recording system separate from the first and secondnetworked communication devices.
 11. The method of claim 7, wherein theidentification information is received in part via one or more socialmedia platforms associated with the second networked communicationdevice.